
A stunning showstopper featuring concentric rings of light chocolate sponge and luscious blueberry cream on a crisp shortbread base. This elegant dessert combines rich cocoa notes with the bright, tangy sweetness of fresh blueberry compote.
Prepare the shortbread base: Rub the cold, cubed butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and one egg, then quickly knead into a smooth dough, being careful not to overwork it. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Bake the base: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan/gas 6). Line a 26cm springform tin with baking parchment. Roll out the chilled dough to fit the pan, place it in the bottom, and prick it all over with a fork. Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden. Allow it to cool completely in the tin.
Make the chocolate sponge: Maintain the oven temperature. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Separate 5 eggs into two bowls. Beat the yolks with 5 tbsp cold water and icing sugar until pale and fluffy. In the other bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the yolk mixture, then fold in a large spoonful of egg white to loosen. Gently fold in the remaining whites, preserving as much air as possible.
Bake and roll the sponge: Spread the batter evenly over the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until spongy. While baking, dust a clean tea towel with cocoa powder. Once cooked, let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then invert it onto the towel. Roll the cake up tightly from the long side with the towel inside and leave to cool completely.
Prepare the blueberry filling: In a pan, combine 600g of blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and 125ml water. Bring to a boil and simmer until it reaches a compote consistency. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until soft, squeeze out the excess water, and stir them into the hot blueberry mixture until dissolved. Do not let the mixture boil after adding gelatine. Let it cool slightly.
Finish the cream: Whip the double cream with a little icing sugar until it holds its shape. Stir in the cassis and raspberry liqueur, then fold in the blueberry compote. Refrigerate the mixture until it begins to firm up.
Assemble the torte: Unroll the chocolate cake and slice it into long strips equal to the height of your springform tin. Arrange the strips in concentric circles starting from the outer edge of the tin, leaving small gaps between the rings. Use a piping bag to fill these gaps with the blueberry cream. Chill the cake thoroughly.
Decorate and serve: Whip the remaining cream with 2 tbsp of icing sugar and spread it smoothly over the top of the cake. Garnish with the reserved 200g of fresh blueberries before serving.
For the cleanest look, ensure the blueberry cream has started to set before piping it into the cake gaps. If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, replace the liqueurs with an equal amount of blueberry juice. Use a hot, wet knife to get perfect slices of the concentric rings.




